Improved fire-escape



n lnited' time ipa.

Letters Patent No. 96,698,1Zted November 9, 1869.

IMPROVED FIRE-ESCAPE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN HEUERMANN, of Davenport, in the county of Scott, and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escape; and I do hereby declare that the following is `a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to an improved fire-escape; and consists, first, in the devices for steadying the machine and making it stand plumb; and, second, in the devices for raising` the basket or car.

The details of construction and manner of operation will be f ully described hereinafter.

Inthe drawings- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my i-mproved machine;

, Figure 2, a plan view of the body of the machine inverted;

Figure 3 represents a cross-section through the line x-x, fig. l;

Figure 4 represents an inverted view of the car; and

Figure 5 represents a sectional view of the mast.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe fully its construction and operation.

A represents the frame-work of the machine, which rests upon the wheels a a, as shown in Iig. 1.

B represents the body of the machine, which rests upon the adjustable screw-standards l) b, rising from the frame-work A, the heads fitting into suitable sockets, b b', in the body ofthe machine.

C C represent steady-braces, which consist of the lower banc, and upper join-ted bar c c2.

ca represents a stay-bar, the lower end of which is pivoted to the bar c, as shown in" iig. 1. It passes through the bar c2, which is slotted for that purpose, (if desired, a double bar may be used,) and its free end is used as a handle.

. The bar c2 and stay o3 are both provided with snitable holes,l in whicha pin is inserted when the brace is properly placed.

Within the body B are placed the devices for raising the car, as will now be described.

The body itself is made-of great strength, and is provided also with the beams D D, fig. 2, which form the. foundation ofthe elevating-devices.

E represents a hollow mast of peculiar construction. It has within itself four masts, E' E', g. 3, which rise together, when desired, for the purpose of increasing the elevation of the car.

The mast E is provided with bars, e e, extending its entire length upon its inside, by which arrangement sockets are formed for each division of the masts E.

These bars e are united at the top of the mast, and the supplemental masts E are united at their lower ends, so that it is made impossible for the masts E to be raisedl out of their sockets.

The masts E are raised as follows:

f, fig. 2, represents a rope, one end of lwhich is attached to the drum F, as clearly shown in the drawing.

The other end, after having been passed over the pulley f1 in the flame-work up through the mast E, and over the pulley f2, iig. 5, on-the mast E, and brought down through the mast again, is attached to the masts E at the point of their union.

The drum F is operated by means of suitable gears and wheels, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

-The car G is raised by two separate movements, as will now be described.

h, g. 2, represents a rope, one end of which is attached to the drum H, and the other, aft-er passing up through the mast E, in a similar manner tothe rope f, and over pulley h1, tig. 5, is attached to the car in any suitable manner.

It will be at once perceived that by this means the car can be raised no higher than the mast E, as the upper pulley is located at the top of this mast.

To elevate the car still more, I employ upon each side the bars h h2 h? h2, which form the system of levers commonly known as the lazytongs.

The lower ends of the lower bars of these systems are provided with flanged friction-wheels, which run under suitable ways vithin the body, as shown in fig. v

3. By this arrangement the levers are irmly held in place.

Each lower end also of these lower bars isprovided with an eye, to which is attached one end of a rope. 'Ihese ropes pass about pulleys in the centre of each side, as shown in iig. 3, and, being united, pass about the pulley in th wheel I, and are fastened to the equalizer J.

From this arrangement of ropes and pulleys, it will be evident that if the wheel I be partially rotated, the lower ends of the bars must be drawntogether, and that by drawing the lower ends of -the bars together, the Whole system of levers is extended, and the car elevated.

In order to rotate the wheel I, `it is provided, upon its lower side, with the cogs t', as shown in iig. 2.

Engaging with these cogs is the pinion t, upon the shaft I.

The shaft is revolved, when desired, by means of the hand-wheel t2.

H1 and K, iig. 2, represent shafts of similar construction, which are provided with hand-wheels H2 and K2 at each end, as shown.

They are also provided with the gear-wheels Ha H K3 K4, by meansl of which motion is communicated, when desired, to the shaft F'.

In order that the latter shaft may be revolved in either direction, the shafts have a sliding movement in their bearings, said movement being eiected by means of the levers k 761, which are operated by means of the hand-rods k2 k2. By moving these rods, either one of the gear-wheels upon the shaft may be brought into contact with the gear-wheels of shaft F.

In order that the car may run easily upon the mast, I provide it with friction-rollers, ov o, as shown in iig. 4, and in order that the car may have a irxn hold upon the masts E', which are of course smaller in their combined area than the mast E, I place these rollers upon spring bars, which are held in position by pivoted arms. By this arrangement, the ear is` firmly held upon the mast E, and also upon the extensions E', the spring enabling the roller-bar to accommodate itself to the diierent sizes of the mast.

. L L represent short ladders, hinged to the car, which are intended to be turned over on to a Windowsill, to enable the occupants to escape from a burning house.

The operation of my invention will be easily understood from the foregoingdescription.

At an alarm of fire, my machine can be drawn through the streets as easily and rapidly as a steamengine. Having arrived uponthe ground, if its services are needed, it is run to the proper point, and securely fixed in position, by means of the braces C. The lower end of the bar c being sharp, is thrust into the ground as far as possible, by means of the stay c3, .or by pressure upon the bar c1, Aand locked in position by pinning the stayc.

While this is being done, the body of the machine may'be levelled to suit the unevenness of the street, by means of the screw-standards b. This being ac,-

eomplished', the car may be elevated to the, top of the mast E, by turning the hand-Wheel of shaft H1.

VIf' desired, by connecting the shaft H1 with the shaft v F, the hand-wheel of each shaft may be turned, and thevcar and the divisions E of the mast will b'e elevated at the same time, the car, however, `rising of course no higher than the mast E.

To still further elevate the car, the Wheel I is rotated by means of the hand-wheel, by which means the levers h2 are extended, and the car is raised, if necessary, to the limit of the machine. A'Ihe ladders Ii are then thrown out, and communication is established with the windows of the house.

When the persons in danger have been rescued, the ear is lowered by reversing the operation described.

The machine described possesses peculiarl merits. It is compact when not in use, but is capable' of being quickly extended to a great height. It is also so strongly braced as to make an accident almost impossible.

Having thus fully described my'invention,

What I claim asv new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, isf- 1. flhebrace4 C, constructed, as described, of parts c c1 c2 c3, as andv for the purpose set forth.

2. The arrangementof the wheel I, pulleys, equal izer J, and' levers h2, as and for the purpose described 3. `The spring roller-bar o, when constructed and arranged as described, for the purpose setfortb.

4. The machine described, consisting essentially of the frame A, body B, mast E, extensions E', system of levers h2, car G, wheel I, and equalizer J, when combined and operated as described, for lche purpose set forth. p

` This specification signeda'nd witnessed, this .5th day of July, 1869.

JOHN HEUERMANN.

Witnesses:

O. J o HANNsEN, J om: WUNDERLICH. 

